Testing and Calibrating an Automatic Ophthalmic Surgical System

Abstract

A system ( 20 ) includes a radiation source ( 48 ) configured to emit beams ( 52 ) of radiation, one or more beam-directing elements ( 49 ) configured to direct the beams, a card ( 22 ) configured to undergo a change in appearance at sites on the card on which the beams impinge, a camera ( 54 ) configured to acquire one or more images of the card, and a controller ( 44 ). The controller is configured to process the images and to control the beam-directing elements, in response to processing the images, so as to direct the beams at one or more target points ( 74 ) in a field of view ( 72 ) of the camera, thereby causing the appearance of the card to change at one or more irradiated locations ( 76 ) on the card. Other embodiments are also described.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a radiation source, configured to emit beams of radiation;   one or more beam-directing elements, configured to direct the beams;   a card configured to undergo a permanent change in appearance at sites on the card on which the beams impinge;   a camera, configured to acquire one or more images of the card; and   a controller, configured to:
 process the images, and 
 in response to processing the images, control the beam-directing elements so as to direct the beams at one or more target points in a field of view (FOV) of the camera, thereby causing the appearance of the card to change at one or more irradiated locations on the card. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the card comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the card comprises transparent glass. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the change in appearance includes a change in color. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the card comprises a photosensitive dye configured to undergo the change in color in response to the beams of radiation. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the card comprises a temperature-sensitive material configured to undergo the change in color in response to being heated by the beams of radiation. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the card is configured to undergo the change in appearance by virtue of the beams forming respective holes at the sites. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to move the camera with respect to the card between acquisitions of the images. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a jig configured to move the card with respect to the camera between acquisitions of the images. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical unit; and   an XYZ stage unit comprising a control mechanism,   wherein the optical unit comprises the camera and is mounted onto the XYZ stage unit so as to be moveable by a user, using the control mechanism, between acquisitions of the images.   
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the card comprises one or more markings, and   wherein, for each of the images, the controller is configured to:
 identify at least one of the markings in the image, and 
 control the beam-directing elements in response to identifying the at least one of the markings. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein, for each of the images, the controller is configured to control the beam-directing elements so as to direct a respective one of the beams at one of the identified markings. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the markings include an iris-shaped marking that simulates a human iris with respect to shape, and   wherein, for each of the images, the controller is configured to:
 identify the iris-shaped marking in the image, 
 compute a respective one of the target points with reference to the iris-shaped marking, and 
 control the beam-directing elements so as to direct a respective one of the beams at the computed one of the target points. 
   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein a background of the card surrounding the iris-shaped marking has a background appearance, and   wherein, at at least one location along a perimeter of the iris-shaped marking, a transition between the background appearance and an appearance of the iris-shaped marking occurs over at least 0.1 mm.   
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein a background of the card surrounding the iris-shaped marking has a background appearance, and   wherein, at at least one location along a perimeter of the iris-shaped marking, a transition between the background appearance and an appearance of the iris-shaped marking occurs over less than 0.1 mm.   
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 identify the irradiated locations in another image of the card,   in response to identifying the irradiated locations, compute a distance between one of the irradiated locations and the target point at which the beam that impinged on the irradiated location was directed, and   communicate an output in response to the distance.   
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 prior to controlling the beam-directing elements, display another image of the card with one or more overlaid target-markers,   receive, from a user, an adjustment of respective positions of the overlaid target-markers, and   define the target points in response to the adjusted positions.   
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to display another image of the card, which shows the irradiated locations, with one or more overlaid target-markers at the target points. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein the card comprises an iris-shaped marking that simulates a human iris with respect to shape, and wherein the overlaid target-markers include an arced target-marker surrounding the iris-shaped marking and passing through the target points. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 coupling a card, which is configured to undergo a permanent change in appearance at sites on the card on which beams of radiation impinge, to a jig; and   by inputting a command to a controller, initiating a testing procedure during which the controller:
 processes one or more images of the card acquired by a camera while the card is coupled to the jig, and 
 in response to processing the images, controls one or more beam-directing elements so as to direct the beams at one or more target points in a field of view (FOV) of the camera, thereby causing the appearance of the card to change at one or more irradiated locations on the card. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the card includes a polymer. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the card includes transparent glass. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the change in appearance includes a change in color. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the card includes a photosensitive dye configured to undergo the change in color in response to the beams of radiation. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the card includes a temperature-sensitive material configured to undergo the change in color in response to being heated by the beams of radiation. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the card is configured to undergo the change in appearance by virtue of the beams forming respective holes at the sites. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein, during the testing procedure, the controller moves the camera with respect to the card between acquisitions of the images. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein, during the testing procedure, the jig moves the card with respect to the camera between acquisitions of the images. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 20 ,
 wherein an optical unit includes the camera and is mounted onto an XYZ stage unit including a control mechanism, and   wherein the method further comprises, using the control mechanism, moving the optical unit between acquisitions of the images.   
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 20 ,
 wherein the card include one or more markings, and wherein, for each of the images, the controller:
 identifies at least one of the markings in the image, and 
 controls the beam-directing elements in response to identifying the at least one of the markings. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein, for each of the images, the controller controls the beam-directing elements so as to direct a respective one of the beams at one of the identified markings. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 30 ,
 wherein the markings include an iris-shaped marking that simulates a human iris with respect to shape, and   wherein, for each of the images, the controller:   identifies the iris-shaped marking in the image,
 computes a respective one of the target points with reference to the iris-shaped marking, and 
 controls the beam-directing elements so as to direct a respective one of the beams at the computed one of the target points. 
   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein a background of the card surrounding the iris-shaped marking has a background appearance, and   wherein, at at least one location along a perimeter of the iris-shaped marking, a transition between the background appearance and an appearance of the iris-shaped marking occurs over at least 0.1 mm.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 32 ,
 wherein a background of the card surrounding the iris-shaped marking has a background appearance, and   wherein, at at least one location along a perimeter of the iris-shaped marking, a transition between the background appearance and an appearance of the iris-shaped marking occurs over less than 0.1 mm.   
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein, during the testing procedure, the controller:
 identifies the irradiated locations in another image of the card,   in response to identifying the irradiated locations, computes a distance between one of the irradiated locations and the target point at which the beam that impinged on the irradiated location was directed, and   communicates an output in response to the distance.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising, prior to initiating the testing procedure, adjusting respective positions of one or more target-markers overlaid on another image of the card,
 wherein, during the testing procedure, the controller define the target points in response to the adjusted positions.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein, during the testing procedure, the controller displays another image of the card, which shows the irradiated locations, with one or more overlaid target-markers at the target points. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the card includes an iris-shaped marking that simulates a human iris with respect to shape, and wherein the overlaid target-markers include an arced target-marker surrounding the iris-shaped marking and passing through the target points.